The Starry-Eyed Podcast
Presented by the Williams Syndrome Association, the Starry Eyed Podcast will explore the joys and challenges of living with Williams syndrome, a rare genetic disability. Each episode will feature interviews with adults with WS and professionals and caregivers who are dedicated to raising awareness and resources.
Episodes
We're well into Williams Syndrome Awareness Month, and Jen and Brendan are joined by Clare Neal, whose niece spearheaded a fundraising effort with her dance troupe. After that, they're joined by Micah Wilgus, who is celebrating his 10th year of work at @McDonalds and is a tremendous advocate for Williams syndrome. Producer Joel also gives an update on his son Bennett's Chili Pepper Fundraiser which happened live on Facebook this ...
It's May, which means it's Awareness Month!
Kicking the bleep out of the start of Awareness Month is Sofia Napoli. She joins Brendan and Producer Joel (filling in for Jen) to talk about the importance of advocating for yourself and to pump everyone up for this month's activities.
Then Jen and Brendan are joined by Denise Callen, Director of Walks for the WSA, to talk about what is different this year with the Fundraising Walks and...
In this episode, Jen and Brendan are joined by Jen and Mike...wait, that sounds confusing. Our hosts are joined by Jen Sellars (teacher and mom to a daughter with WS) and her friend Mike Hladish. They share their amazing story of growing up and reconnecting in a different part of the country that should warm your heart! We would like to acknowledge the wonderful organization Just People (https://www.justpeople.org/) where Mike liv...
In this episode, Jen and Brendan hear the fantastic and fascinating story of Stella Beard and Clayton Carroll. The mother and son duo discuss the tricky navigation of post-high school life and their journey from total guardianship to supported decision-making.
Learn more about Clayton Carroll by searching "Clayton Carroll Speaks" on Facebook and search for Clayton Carroll on YouTube.
Reach out to us at podcast@williams-syndrome.or...
Producer Joel joins Brendan as they interview Joshua Dean, an adventurous camper, hard worker, and fantastic leader fresh off his latest week in Georgia at Camp Blue Skies. Then, Jen and Brendan talk to Emma Thomas, Camp Director of Whispering Trails Therapy Camp and Teen Camp. Registration for the 2024 camp in July opens soon, and Emma tells us why the camp experience can be incredibly beneficial to our kiddos!
It's our 1-year extravaganza! Thanks so much to all of you for tuning in and supporting our show.
To celebrate, we are joined by OG co-host Stephanie Caron to update us on how she's doing and reflect on what starting the podcast has meant to her.
Then Cyndra Cole, former WSA Board President and Episode 2 guest, turns the tables and asks us questions received from the audience!
Cheers to many more years to come!
Would you or your bu...
It's the last show of Year 1 of The Starry-Eyed Pod! Jen and Brendan are joined by Gerald and Pascale Momplaisir from Baltimore, MD. This Dad and Daughter Duo shares the excitement and opportunities of preparing for life after high school and getting ready for college. Pascale also gives us some insight into the particular challenges of being a young woman of color with a disability while Gerald (and his wife, Tara) navigate being ...
Hey, look! We're so fresh and so clean! There is a new logo and new visuals, but it's the same awesome show!
First up is Jessica Stranz, an adult with WS from Michigan, sharing with Jen and Brendan her love of bowling, antiquing, and planes! Her journey with Williams syndrome is really wonderful!
Then, for Heart Health Awareness month, we're joined by Benjamin Jacob, who turned growing up with a brother with WS into a career caring...
Hark! Come gather ye round to hear the tale of Alex and Alexandra, who live lives touched by Williams syndrome!
The show is joined today by Alexandra Reneer, an adult with WS living in Utah. She shares with us how being a dancer has allowed her to stay physically healthy and gives her the confidence to teach dance to others with developmental disabilities!
Then we're joined by Alex Chiarappa. She is the mother to 5-year-old Collins...
The WSA team is in Phoenix, AZ, doing more prep work for the upcoming WSA Convention, July 9-13, 2024, at the Downtown Hyatt Regency Hotel. Since the room block will be available for reservations starting Wednesday, January 10, we thought it would be a good time for more convention talk! Nick and Lindsey are back to talk about how preparations are coming. Then Jen is joined by Jen...Jen Chaplin, the WSA Convention Czar, who is hand...
Happy Holidays from all of us at The Starry-Eyed Effect!
It's a very special episode as we're joined by Anne Lemieux-Pocock, who, in addition to being Brendan's mom, is an accomplished writer. She's sharing her journey of being a mom to an individual with WS in beautiful chapters called "Being & Becoming: A Williams Syndrome ‘Mom-oir'” available at https://medium.com/@annelemieuxpocock.
Look...did I have a whole other episode planned and then couldn't get it scheduled and was bailed out by awesome Board member Scott Ottenheimer? Maybe, but we were always going to have Scott as a guest! As his time on the WSA Board of Trustees comes to a close, Scott talks to Brendan and Jen about his time serving the WSA and how it has set the organization up for the future! As a community, we are so lucky to have amazing people l...
In this episode, Jen, Brendan, and Producer Joel delve into the crisis in this country surrounding parents and caregivers of individuals with developmental disabilities - specifically Williams syndrome.
After watching the documentary "UNSEEN: How We're Failing Parent Caregivers & Why It Matters" (which you can watch at www.caregiverdoc.com), they share their reactions for the first time in the recording.
Then, WSA Vice-Preside...
Brendan joins from Austin, TX, where he just wrapped a weekend of working with the WSA Board of Trustees. What is that like? Well, he tells us. Then Jen and Brendan talk to Lindsey and Nick about planning the 2024 WSA Convention in Phoenix, AZ! Look out for Haboobs!!
Make sure the little ones are off to dreamland because this week, Jen and Brendan have terrifying tales of horrors, hayrides, and haunted houses! Joining the show is Megan McNeil and Julie Polansky to share everything they love about this ghoulish holiday. Then the gang gets together to bust some myths about Halloween and about Williams syndrome!
Are you brave enough to listen?!
Mwaaaahahahahahahahahahahahah!!!!
Dust off your finest prêt-à-porter cause we're going to the society pages!
Jen and Brendan catch up with Callie Truelove to share gratitude for red carpet premieres, celebrating stories, and everything surrounding the release of Truelove: The Film. Then, Joel joins Brendan to talk to Camille and Anthony Filippazzo about building community and the importance of medical research into WS with the AF Research Grant. Think of how good J...
Producer Joel is live in Orlando with the Adventure Seekers (the group of adults (18+) with WS. This trip was a couple of years in the making, with around 150 individuals with WS and their parents/caregivers descending on the Drury Plaza Hotel in Orlando, FL. Jen and Brendan chat with about a half-dozen attendees about what this trip means to them.
Enjoy!
Producer Joel joins Jen and Brendan for an old-fashioned hang where they talk about all the events going on with the WSA and with all the amazing volunteers around the country. From hosting events to becoming part of the WSA Board of Trustees, there are many ways to get involved.
Interested in helping out the WSA? Reach out to us at podcast@williams-syndrome.org.
It's a very special "Back to School" episode!
WSA Educational Consultant Michelle Self joins us to discuss all things IEP and class inclusion! She shares examples from her own life with her son, Alex, and her work with Jen's family. From calling IEP meetings to figuring out what "class inclusion" looks like for your child, Michelle is available to answer your questions at mself@williams-syndrome.org
Due to the importance and comple...
We're back from camp, recovered from Covid, and gettin' ready for school!
Today, Kayla Patak joins Brendan and Jen to talk about Whispering Trails Camp and how she uses that experience to prepare for the new school year. Then, Speech Pathologist Bianca Corozzo discusses her new consultancy with the WSA and how she hopes to help families and individuals with WS find tools to become stronger communicators. You can reach her at bcoroz...
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